Agonomics

Autumn's arrived, and to mark Love Lamb Week we're catching up with a familiar face from The Great British Bake Off who's flying the flag for British lamb. Mike Wilkins is a sheep farmer with first-hand experience of what TV can do for farming's image. He explains why shows like Bake Off can help tell farming's story to a much wider audience, and why he's backing the long-running Make It Lamb campaign. He also lets us in on a behind-the-scenes Bake Off secret, revealing who he couldn't resist sharing details of his TV appearances with while filming. And let's just say, it wasn't limited to the immediate family. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Make it Lamb | AHDB Search Resources Only - Food A Fact Of Life Let's Eat Balanced | AHDB GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

Angela's 43 and farms beef, dairy and arable crops, but years of physical graft are already taking their toll. Living with arthritis, she says she's feeling "pretty worn and torn" and worries about what the future might hold. The AG Show catches up with her to hear how she manages the day-to-day realities of farming with the condition. It comes as researchers at the University of Worcester look into the impact arthritis is having across the farming industry. Their study hopes to build a clearer picture of the challenges farmers face and identify practical ways to help, from lifestyle and diet changes to simple adaptations on farm. Also on this week's show, we bring you the latest on bluetongue, the Sustainable Farming Incentive and a newly launched BYDV tool designed to help growers manage risk. And away from the day job, find out which member of the team has taken a plunge into open water swimming, and who's set themselves the challenge of eating their way around Britain's bakeries. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Arthritis + Farmers Bluetongue virus latest news | AHDB Heatwaves, drought and dairy resilience: How farmers are coping in 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26): scheme information - GOV.UK SFI cost benefit tool | AHDB Tools BYDV tool GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

This summer’s definitely been one to remember, with heatwaves rolling through and barely a drop of rain in sight for some. On this week’s AG Show, we catch up with Norfolk pig farmer Rob McGregor to hear how he’s been keeping his animals cool and reducing heat stress during some seriously hot conditions. We also hear from a dairy, beef and arable farmer who believes drought-resistant crops and smarter water management will be key if farms are going to cope with more summers like this in the future. And we check back in with our friends at Drumgoon Dairy in the US to find out how farmers reacted to their five non-negotiables for building a resilient dairy business during a recent UK roadshow. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Avoiding heat stress in pigs | AHDB North Farm Livestock Hot weather and heat extremes | AHDB Dry weather and drought | AHDB US dairy farmers bring practical resilience roadshow to Britain | AHDB GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

With bluetongue cases continuing to rise this season, The AG Show team's focus is on South West England, one of the hardest-hit parts of the country, to find out what it's really like on the ground. We catch up with a Cornish beef, sheep and arable farmer whose livestock have been affected, and hear from a Devon-based vet about just how busy things have been, plus the latest on vaccination efforts. The message is clear: don't wait until bluetongue is on your doorstep before taking action. Support and advice are available through the AHDB Bluetongue Virus Hotline on 024 7771 0386 . Plus, we look at how this summer's heatwaves have added to the challenges facing UK dairy farmers and what it could mean for the months ahead. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Bluetongue virus latest news | AHDB Bluetongue virus update - 5 August 2026 | AHDB Webinar How have the recent heatwaves impacted GB milk production? | AHDB Hot weather and heat extremes | AHDB Dry weather and drought | AHDB Support for farmers | AHDB GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

This week on The AG Show, we're catching up with a first-generation dairy farmer to hear how a programme built to support ambitious entrepreneurs helped them secure a farm tenancy in Dorset and take the next step in their farming journey. We'll also get the inside track on a brand-new tool set to help cereal growers tackle Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus, plus the latest on the bluetongue situation (which is a good opportunity to plug AHDB's bluetongue virus hotline: 024 7771 0386). And that's not all. We catch up with AHDB's new Beef and Lamb Director, Prys Morgan, and round things off by digging into the world of lamb grading and why it matters. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Dairy Entrepreneurs | RABDF Training Programme Cereal growers asked to help develop a new BYDV management tool | AHDB Bluetongue Virus Hub - Ruminant Health & Welfare Support for farmers | AHDB Prys Morgan appointed as new Beef & Lamb Sector Director | AHDB Understanding lambs and carcases | AHDB GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

The AG Show is going all-in on #Farm24 - the 24-hour online celebration of British farming. We’ve even shifted our release date so we can be part of the action! In this episode, we catch up with organisers Farmers Guardian, campaign ambassador Rebecca Wilson and sponsor RABI FarmersAid to find out what’s planned, why it matters and how you can get involved. Plus, the hotly contested debate over what to call AG Show listeners shows no sign of ending any time soon... SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Farmers Guardian | Farming News | Farm24 | 24 Hours In Farming Wilson and Ashley - YouTube RABI - the Farmers Charity EU restrictions on Brazilian beef exports: what could it mean for the UK market? | AHDB GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

This week on The AG Show, farmer Jim Chapman joins the team to share his powerful story of losing an arm in a PTO shaft accident, and how that life-changing moment continues to shape his day-to-day life. With agriculture still one of the UK's most dangerous industries, we're proudly backing Farm Safety Week and helping shine a light on the risks farmers face every day. We'll also be hearing from a former farmer turned firefighter about the real fire risks that come with the recent spell of hot, dry weather, and what farmers can do to stay safe during harvest and beyond. Plus, we take a look at Open Your Gate, a joint campaign from AHDB and LEAF that's encouraging farmers to welcome more young people onto farms, with an ambitious goal of delivering one million on-farm experiences by 2031. It's a packed episode full of honest conversations, practical advice and plenty of reasons to get involved. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) The Impact – safety in numbers - YellowWellies.org Support for farmers | AHDB Dry weather and drought – fire prevention | AHDB How have the recent heatwaves impacted GB milk production? | AHDB RABDF launches dairy entrepreneurs club | AHDB AHDB and LEAF launch drive to inspire the next generation through on-farm experiences | AHDB Home Page | LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

It's a packed episode of The AG Show this week. We're giving a shout-out to GB Calf Week, the industry-wide campaign shining a spotlight on the latest thinking and fresh ideas in youngstock care. We'll also be tackling one of farming's biggest talking points right now - bovine TB. It's back in the spotlight following the latest series of Clarkson's Farm, so we'll dig into what's being said and what it means for the industry. Elsewhere, we explore why sustainability sits at the heart of the newly launched Beef and Lamb Environmental Roadmap and hear why rehydrating grain before it leaves the farm might not be the best move. And finally, we catch up with young farmer Will Sercombe, fresh from the incredible challenge of running the length of the UK in less than three weeks. Plenty to get stuck into, so what are you waiting for? Go and press play.... SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) GB Calf Week | AHDB The Beef and Lamb Environmental Roadmap | AHDB Length of the UK run Bovine tuberculosis | AHDB Support for farmers | AHDB GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

The AG Show heads to Groundswell as the regenerative farming festival marks its 10th birthday, to find out what's getting farmers talking. First, we catch up with Groundswell co-founder John Cherry to look back at how the event has grown over the past decade and hear what he's learned from a mob grazing project he's been involved in. If you're a wheat grower looking to boost margins, don't miss our chat with a farmer who's transformed his business by turning his grain into flour and selling direct to bakeries. Plus, Charlotte puts her emergency first aid skills to the test in a farm accident scenario, and we get some practical tips on how to better understand what's going on beneath your feet by taking a closer look at your soil. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Groundswell Festival 2027 Agrileader Circle at Groundswell Milling at Bruern – Bruern Farms Farmers Aid – from RABI The soil health scorecard | AHDB GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

After that record-breaking June heatwave, The AG Show is diving into what it really means for farming. We’re joined by Tom from the Met Office to break down what’s going on with our weather - and why extreme events are becoming more of the norm. We also catch up with AHDB’s climate resilience lead, Alice, to talk through how you can actually protect your farm, using the Climate Resilience Action Planner. Plus, there's details of the Farming Roadmap 2050, we hear how one farmer’s giving his hedgerows some extra attention and Stasha’s back with more Dad jokes… brace yourselves. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Climate resilience on-farm action planner | AHDB Weather and climate change - Met Office Farming Roadmap 2050: Growing England’s Future (accessible version) - GOV.UK GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

On this episode of The AG Show, we’re getting stuck into low‑carbon lamb - where big science meets real‑world farming. It’s all off the back of the three‑year Breed For CH4nge project, and now it’s wrapped up, we’re hearing straight from the people involved and asking the big question: will this actually work on UK sheep farms? We’re also catching up with a CEVAS‑trained dairy farmer who’s been opening the farm gates to school visits – and why it’s not just the kids who get something out of it. And with the football World Cup in full swing, we’ll take a lighter look at what might be fuelling the teams on the pitch. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Sheep Breeding UK | Low Carbon Lamb | Low Methane Sheep Innovis Sheep - Leading UK Sheep Breeding Services & Sales Signet Breeding Services | Signet Breeding Lancashire Farm Education Centre – Home Farm – Croston Access To Farms Home Page | Access To Farms GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

US dairy couple Rodney and Dorothy Elliott jump on The AG Show to break down the five non-negotiables of a resilient dairy business - with their UK roadshow just around the corner. Originally from Northern Ireland, the pair headed stateside in 2006 and started out with a 1,400-cow setup. Fast forward 20 years, and Drumgoon Dairy is now a multi-barn operation milking around 6,500 cows - so they’ve definitely learned a thing or two along the way. We also take a look behind the scenes at how AHDB works with retailers to get red meat and dairy on the supermarket shelves. Plus, we’ve got the latest from the Planting and Variety Survey, and an update on our environmental baselining pilot - which suggests we could be seriously underestimating just how much carbon is actually stored in soils. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Drumgoon Dairy: The 5 non-negotiables of a resilient dairy business | AHDB GB barley area hits 16-year low as growers rethink cropping strategies | AHDB AHDB-led pilot shows current soil carbon measurement methodologies may be underestimating carbon stocks by a third or more | AHDB Consumer Insights: Improving shopper engagement with the meat aisle | AHDB GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

The AG Show might’ve just stumbled on something genuinely handy for farmers ahead of the next round of the Sustainable Farming Incentive. We’re joined by one of the brains at AHDB behind a new tool that helps you see what different SFI actions could actually mean for your own farm - so you can make smarter calls. Plus, we hear from a farmer who’s already put it to the test. We’ll also be chatting to the head of the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers as AIMS hits a big milestone - 25 years. And we’ll get into herbal leys too, catching up with organisers from a recent event focused on growing and managing multi-species swards. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) SFI cost benefit tool | AHDB Tools Sustainable Farming Incentive | AHDB The Garlic Farm Isle of Wight | Farm Shop | Restaurant | Café Association of Independent Meat Suppliers FarmED - FarmED - Farm & Food Education England Home | Niab GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

It’s a Cover Crops 101 special on The AG Show - and we’ve got a couple of proper experts on hand to help. Clive Wood from Frontier and AHDB’s Bek Hirstman join us to break it all down, getting you up to speed on the basics of cover crops (yes, all those non-harvested plants that can provide benefits to a rotation). We dig into what they actually do, the different types out there and - crucially - how to choose the right ones without causing yourself headaches further down the line. We're also asking what’s going on with finished cattle prices - why are they dropping and is there more to come? And we check in on how red meat and dairy are performing on foodservice menus right now. Plus, who could have been part of the farmers choir that won Britain's Got Talent? SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Home - Cover Crops Guide An introduction to cover crops | AHDB Frontier Agriculture Why are finished cattle prices falling and will this continue? Beef market update | AHDB Red meat in foodservice: The trends shaping today’s menus | AHDB Dairy in foodservice: The trends shaping today’s menus | AHDB GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

This week’s AG Show is absolutely stacked. We’re diving into a huge project that’s been seven years in the making - Challenge Sheep - and hearing what farmers Ian and Anna Wilson have actually taken from it. It’s all about body condition, breeding ewes younger, and what that really means for lifetime performance. Then… it gets interesting. Never mind the bullocks, here comes the rewilder. Derek Gow joins us to explain why he ditched conventional farming to hand his land back to nature. But will any of that thinking rub off on his neighbour, Devon farmer and previous AG Show guest Derek Banbury? Perfect timing, too - because both Dereks are about to hit the big screen in a brand new film: Derek vs Derek. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Challenge Sheep | AHDB www.derekvsderek.com/screenings GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

The AG Show hit the ground running at the Pig & Poultry Fair, catching up with some of the UK’s pig meat exporters and hearing how producer Fergus Howie got his start trading overseas in Dubai. AHDB trade butcher Martin Eccles also breaks down why offal is such a big deal in certain global markets – and how its value can really stack up. Plus, Irish pig producer Shane McAuliffe shares some top tips on owning your farm’s story, whether that’s making the most of social media or getting stuck into your local community. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Exports | AHDB The British Pig & Poultry Fair Pig Farming in Ireland - McAuliffe Pig Farms GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

The AG Show is hitting its half-year mark, and we’re kicking things off with the BUCS Super Rugby Milk Championships - where student athletes are getting a proper look at why dairy still earns its place on the team sheet. Turns out, milk’s doing a lot more than just filling your tea mug. We also break down what an Advertising Standards Authority ruling means for AHDB’s Let’s Eat Balanced campaign - and why it’s sticking around. And we’re back with part two of our chat with Cornish beef and sheep farmer Will Whiting, as he shares what it’s really been like taking on the 200-acre farm next door. Missed the first half? Go and catch up in the revious episode - trust us, it’s worth it. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Milk Every Moment | AHDB BUCS British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Home - Let's Eat Balanced Fursdon Farming - YouTube GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

It’s a 200‑acre leap of faith for one of our guests on this episode of The AG Show, after they took the plunge and snapped up the neighbouring land and buildings. Cornish sheep and beef farmer Will Whiting joins us to talk about what tipped him over the edge - and how a friendly wager with fellow YouTuber Cammy Wilson is spurring him on. We also dig into how pig producers, vets, processors and everyone in between can get the most out of AHDB’s Workshop in a Box – a handy digital toolkit designed to help build a solid African swine fever contingency plan. Plus, why does the UK look so tempting to sweet potato growers over in North Carolina, USA? And is there anything British exporters could nick from their playbook? SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Fursdon Farming - YouTube ASF contingency planning: Workshop in a box for pig farms and vets | AHDB North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission | Home GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

The AG Show team catch up with filmmaker James Dawson and one of the two farmers at the heart of his new film, Derek vs Derek. The documentary looks at what happens when two very different approaches to managing land meet - quite literally - on opposite sides of a Devon lane. James asks a simple but provocative question: What’s it like living next door to Britain’s most notorious rewilder? We hear from Derek Banbury, a dairy and beef farmer who’s had a front‑row seat to watching his neighbour, former sheep farmer Derek Gow, drastically change how his land is used by reintroducing endangered species as part of a major conservation project. The team also get into the Pork Environmental Roadmap, breaking down what it means and how it sets out a shared, evidence‑based plan to help drive environmental progress across the pork industry. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Derek vs Derek | What's it like to live nextdoor to Britain's most notorious rewilder? The Pork Environmental Roadmap | AHDB GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts

The AG Show links up with Jeremy Clarkson’s pub, The Farmer’s Dog, for a chat about Great British Beef Week. We catch up with head butcher Charlotte Kingham, who shares her top tips for picking the perfect steak – plus a bit of behind-the-scenes gossip about what life’s really like at the pub when the cameras aren’t on. Elsewhere in the episode, AHDB might just be tackling one of farming’s biggest headaches: entering the same data over and over again. Input once, use many times is the aim of the Farm Data Exchange, and project lead Adam Short joins us to explain how the proof-of-concept pilot has been going. And with spring marathon season in full swing, we’ve also got a bit of running chat. SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND) Great British Beef Week | AHDB The Farmer's Dog - Jeremy Clarkson’s proper British pub – KNGM Sportswear Proof of concept pilot demonstrates AHDB’s Farm Data Exchange is viable and supported by industry | AHDB GET IN TOUCH Charlotte, Hannah and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk . Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can: Easily update your preferences and contact information Get information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and more Receive important updates such as disease alerts